Anthropogenic activities have introduced elevated levels of brominated phenols to the environment. These compounds are associated with toxic and endocrine effects, and their environmental fate is of interest. An aerobic strain Ochrobactrum sp. HI1 was isolated from soils in the vicinity of a bromophenol production plant and tested for its ability to degrade 4-bromophenol (4-BP). A ring hydroxylation pathway of degradation was proposed, using the evidence from degradation intermediates analysis and multi-element (C, Br, H) compound-specific isotope analysis. Benzenetriol and 4-bromocatechol were detected during degradation of 4-bromophenol. Degradation resulted in a normal carbon isotope effect (ε_C = −1.11 ± 0.09‰), and in insignificant bromine and hydrogen isotope fractionation. The dual C–Br isotope trend for ring hydroxylation obtained in the present study differs from the trends expected for reductive debromination or photolysis. Thus, the isotope data reported herein can be applied in future field studies to delineate aerobic biodegradation processes and differentiate them from other natural attenuation processes.

中文翻译：

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Ochrobactrum sp。降解4-溴苯酚。从沙漠土壤中分离出的HI1：途径和同位素效应。

人为活动已导致环境中溴酚水平升高。这些化合物具有毒性和内分泌作用，其环境命运令人关注。有氧菌株Ochrobactrum sp.。HI1是从溴苯酚生产工厂附近的土壤中分离出来的，并测试了其降解4-溴苯酚（4-BP）的能力。利用降解中间体分析和多元素（C，Br，H）化合物特异性同位素分析的证据，提出了降解的环羟基化途径。在降解4-溴苯酚过程中检测到苯三醇和4-溴邻苯二酚。降解导致了正常碳同位素效应（ε _Ç = −1.11±0.09‰），并且溴和氢同位素分馏作用不明显。在本研究中，环羟基化的双重C-Br同位素趋势与还原脱溴或光解反应的趋势不同。因此，本文报道的同位素数据可用于未来的田间研究，以描绘好氧生物降解过程并将其与其他自然衰减过程区分开。